Chapter 87
The next morning, as Allison stepped into the law firm, she immediately felt a strange vibe in the air. Whispers seemed to follow her every move. She made her way to her desk in the office, which she usually shared with Brody. He was still in the hospital. For now, the space was all hers.
Before she could even settle in, Nicole showed up at the door. She knocked twice, catching Allison’s attention. “Can you come to my office for a minute, Allison?”
Allison had a pretty good idea of what this was about. In Nicole’s office, she sat across from her boss, who looked both angry and sharp–eyed. “I sent you and Jack to talk about a case last night, and I hear you ended up in a scuffle with the two clients and even hit them?”
Allison took a deep breath. “I was there to discuss the case, but those two were only interested in… well, less professional matters. They crossed the line, and I was just defending myself.”
Nicole’s expression turned even more serious. “Allison, I know you’re capable. You saved us during that last incident. But violence? That’s not the answer.”
Allison remained calm. “I started out professional and courteous, but they didn’t get it. Nicole, I’m a lawyer, not an escort. Clients like that aren’t worth our time.”
Nicole’s temper flared. She slammed her hand on the desk. “Do you realize what your actions cost us? We lost a $150,000 legal advisory contract, not to mention another $500,000 in potential legal fees from other cases. Are you planning to cover that $650,000 loss?”
Allison gave a wry smile. “Fine, I’ll patch up that hole today. Just don’t send me to deal with scumbags like that again.”
Nicole remained skeptical. “By the end of today, I want to see signed contracts and payment receipts. If not, don’t bother coming back tomorrow. You’ve caused significant losses, and under our firm’s HR policies and labor laws, we can let you go without compensation.”
Allison’s expression didn’t change. “Okay.”
When Allison left Nicole’s office, she walked past Jack’s. He was just stepping out and shot her a taunting look. “Oh, Allison, after ticking off clients and losing that big case last night, you still have the guts to show up here? I’d hide my face if I were you.”
Allison met his gaze with an icy stare, then walked past him without a word, heading back to her own office.
Not long after, a message from Joy popped up on her screen: [Allison, have you seen what Elliott and Jack are saying about you on social media?]
Joy sent over screenshots of their posts. Elliott’s read: [Some women have no shame. Instead of working hard, they rely on their looks to snag a sugar daddy. It’s a disgrace to the legal profession.]
Jack’s post wasn’t much better: [It’s disgusting. If you don’t need the money, then don’t work. Go hang out with your rich old guy driving a Rolls–Royce. You come to work, mess up big cases, and drag me down, too. Can’t she just be a professional sugar baby?]
Allison checked their profiles and realized she’d been blocked by both. She saved the screenshots and texted Joy back; [They didn’t mention my name. How do you know they’re talking about me?]
Joy replied: [Allison, the rumor mill says you’ve been a sugar baby. Elliott and Jack are the ones spreading it.]
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